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Dodgers great Davey Lopes, an infield fixture and record-setting base stealer, dies at 80

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Davey Lopes, a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ record-setting infield of the 1970s and ‘80s and one of baseball’s premier base stealers, died Wednesday. He was 80.

The Dodgers were informed of his death in Rhode Island by his former wife, Lin Lopes.

Lopes was a four-time All-Star during his 10 years with the Dodgers. He played in four World Series, winning the 1981 championship. He holds the franchise record for most games played at second base with 1,134. His 1,145 games batting leadoff are second in the organization only to Maury Wills (1,279).

Lopes was 27 years old when he made his MLB debut on Sept. 22, 1972.

The next season, Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Lopes began the first of 8 1/2 consecutive years starting together in the infield.

Lopes established himself as one of the most prolific base stealers in baseball. He stole 418 bases as a Dodger, second-highest career total in franchise history behind Wills (490). Lopes holds the franchise record with an 83.1% career success rate (minimum 100 steals).

On Aug. 4, 1974, Lopes became the first Dodger since Wills to steal four bases in a game, and 20 days later, he tied the NL record with five steals against the Cardinals. In 1975, Lopes recorded a then-MLB record 28 consecutive steals without being caught.

He led the majors in 1975 with 77 steals and the National League in 1976 with 63. In 1978, he stole 45 bases in 49 attempts.

In 1978, Lopes had the best World Series of his career, starting with two home runs in Game 1 against the New York Yankees. He also won a Gold Glove that season.

After leaving the Dodgers, he played for the Oakland Athletics (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86) and Houston Astros (1986-87). He stole 557 career bases — 26th in MLB history — while hitting .263 in 1,812 regular-season games with 155 home runs, 614 RBI, 232 doubles and 50 triples.

After his playing days, Lopes managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000-02. He coached with the Orioles, Padres, Nationals, Phillies and Dodgers.

He won a second World Series as the Phillies’ first-base coach before returning to the Dodgers as the baserunning and first-base coach from 2011-15. He spent his final two seasons in the majors as the Nationals first base coach in 2016-17.

Lopes is survived by his brothers, Patrick and John, and sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary and Nina.

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MLB umpires’ biggest ABS fears are being realized

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows The main scoreboard at Yankee Stadium shows a confirmed call of a ball using the ABS system during the first inning between the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins, Image 2 shows Home plate umpire Mike Estabrook (83) reacts as New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. challenges a call, Image 3 shows Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II taps his helmet to initiate an ABS challenge
MLB umpires

Nobody likes getting called out at work — especially when doing so happens on a JumboTron in front of tens of thousands of folks.

Some MLB umpires are “stewing” about the new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge (ABS) system and believe it’s creating a “near-impossible standard” for their jobs, according to The Athletic.

The caveat is that umpires agreed to this system in their last collective bargaining agreement, as The Athletic noted, meaning they are not blameless for this new world.

An ABS challenge at Citi Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That lack of accountability from umpires is why ABS received such a push, with fans and players alike wanting fewer games determined by human judgement that can sometimes be faulty.

The ABS system seemingly has earned positive reviews for fans, rewarding batters for good eyes or pitchers for painting the black.

There have been some egregious games, such as notoriously bad umpire CB Bucknor having six calls overturned in one game and Mike Estabrook making five wrong calls against the Yankees.

The system is designed to not let those types of calls blow the game.

“We’ve only really had one game where it’s been a lot – I think there were 11 challenges in the game,” former Met and current Royals starter Seth Lugo told The Athletic.

“We were all thinking that the umpire (Andy Fletcher) was starting to get pissed off and someone asked him about it and he was like, ‘This is great. I’m getting better in-game, so this is cool.’”

One issue is that the system does not have a buffer zone, meaning it doesn’t afford umpires who miss even a strike by .01 of an inch any grace.

Mike Estabrook had a rough night during a Yankee sgame. AP

That call is ruled a ball, the same as if a pitch missed the zone by six inches.

MLB umpires reportedly gripe that ABS is not a perfect system since MLB officials previously told the Athletic they are 95 percent confidence ABS will locate a pitch within 0.39 inches of its location and they are 99 percent the system would track the pitch within 0.48 inches of where it ultimately lands.

Umpires would prefer if they received the same kind of help, but it has not been OK’d.

“Major League umpires hold themselves to the highest standard and deeply care about getting calls right. We appreciate the professionalism of our umpires and their commitment to the good of the game and the wishes of fans,” MLB’s senior executive Michael Hill told The Athletic.

The ABS system shown at Yankee Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“As they adjust to the new zone, we commend the umpires for being the most accurate as a group in history, building off last season’s historic high with a 93.5 percent accuracy rate on pitches this year (through April 7), up 0.8 percent through the same number of games in 2025 (92.7 percent). We are also pleased that on the closest of pitches, those being challenged, umpires have been correct nearly half of the time (46.2 percent).”

The Athletic cited data from Tap To Challenge showing the top 11 umpires averaged less than one inch on their misses, although Bucknor averaged 1.36 inches, the seventh-worst mark in the sport.

Orioles righty and longtime starter Chris Bassitt defended the umpires.

Michael Harris III challenging a call. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I don’t think people realize 0.2, 0.3 inches off the plate — they’re like, oh my gosh, I can’t believe you missed that call,” he told the publication. “Go get a ruler out, please, and realize how much they just missed it by. He barely missed it.

“This guy is throwing 96 mph, and the ball moved 18 inches sideways. You have no idea what you’re talking about. You’ve never even seen this. So the fact these umpires are that good, let’s not take that away from them. These umpires are literally that good. I could not be more in favor of keeping umpires in this game.”

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7-5 – Rangers work through Woo to sweep Mariners

Apr 7, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Luke Raley (20) hits his head on the ground returning to first base during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers scored three runs while the Seattle Mariners scored zero runs.

We had ourselves a real Shed classic today with two good starters on the mound and runs at a premium. Zeros were traded between Texas’ MacKenzie Gore and Seattle’s Bryan Woo before the Rangers finally broke through with a crooked number inning halfway through the game.

The Rangers probably should have had more runs as they hit a couple of balls in the early innings that would have been home runs in more than half of the parks in the league. As we know, no balls hit at The Shed go for home runs so they were forced to wait until they could manufacture a rally aided by Seattle’s questionable gloves.

That rally came in the bottom of the 5th when, after a quick out and Woo cruising, the bottom of the order made something happen. Danny Jansen reached via an infield single on a play that third baseman Brendan Donovan couldn’t make. Josh Smith followed with a sharp single and then No. 9 hitter Ezequiel Duran came back from an 0-2 count to single to load the bases.

With the top of the order up, the Rangers had their chance to score the runs that would make starter Gore the pitcher of record and Brandon Nimmo did just that with an assist from Seattle first baseman Connor Joe. Filling in for usual first baseman Josh Naylor on a getaway day in Arlington, Joe attempted a force play at home but his throw was wide of catcher Mitch Garver, who was in behind the plate to get Cal Raleigh off his feet.

Jansen scored on the play and Smith came around on the errant throw as well. A Corey Seager sac fly followed to give Texas a 3-0 lead. Following that breakthrough with Seager’s flyout accounting for the only RBI, the Rangers turned to the bullpen needing another four innings from their relievers.

Chris Martin pitched a scoreless frame and then Luis Curvelo made his 2026 debut with two scoreless innings. Skip Schumaker turned to Cole Winn in the 9th for a scoreless inning and save and the Rangers have their first sweep of the season while finishing their homestand 3-3 despite beginning it 0-3.

Texas now sits at 7-5 and are atop the American League West while the swept Mariners begin their much-hyped season at 4-9.

Player of the Game: Josh Smith had a couple of hits and made perhaps the best contact for Texas on the day. He was flat out robbed of a home run by former Ranger Rob Refsnyder in the 3rd. Brandon Nimmo also had a couple of hits and technically produced the winning run with his grounder that Joe threw away.

However, despite a shorter outing than would have been liked, starter Gore was the standout for Texas today.

The young lefty was nearly unhittable during his five innings of work with his only hit allowed coming after a dropped popup in foul territory by Jansen off the bat of old friend Garver. Otherwise, Gore struck out nine and had the Mariners looking silly with swing-and-miss stuff.

Gore did walk a couple in the first inning before he had settled in and that contributed to his high pitch total early, but overall he was excellent and has had a superb start (2-0, 2.76 ERA) to his tenure with Texas.

Also, just in general the pitching staff was fantastic with only two hits allowed all game. Overall, the Rangers allowed just three runs total in this series against Seattle and have allowed just 12 runs in their first six games at home this year including no more than two runs in any of the previous five games.

They may not be scoring much at The Shed, but they’re not giving up many runs either.

Up Next: The Rangers get a day off on Thursday to rest up their bullpen before opening a series on the West Coast against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a matchup between the two most recent World Series winning franchises. RHP Kumar Rocker is expected to make the start for Texas in Friday’s opener opposite RHP Tyler Glasnow for Los Angeles.

The first pitch in Friday’s opener from UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 9:10 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.

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Dodgers on Deck: Friday, April 10 vs. Rangers

Apr 5, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker (55) walks to the mound during the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The last three World Series winners will be represented in the series opener between the Dodgers and Texas Rangers on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The Rangers after winning the 2023 Fall Classic went 78-84 in 2024 and 81-81 in 2025. This year, former Dodgers infielder Skip Schumaker is in his first year managing in Texas.

Tyler Glasnow starts the series opener, moved up a bit in the pecking order given the six-man rotation at the moment plus Thursday’s off day. Glasnow last pitched Saturday in Washington D.C., and will be on five days rest on Friday night. Emmet Sheehan, who pitched on Friday, April 3 against the Nationals, will start on Saturday vs. Texas.

Kumar Rocker starts Friday for Texas, making his second start of 2026. The right-hander allowed two runs in five innings last Saturday in a loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Friday game info
  • Teams: Dodgers vs. Rangers
  • Ballpark: Dodger Stadium
  • Time: 7:10 p.m.
  • TV: SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market)
  • Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
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MLB hands down suspensions for Jorge Soler, Reynaldo López after bench-clearing brawl

MLB handed down disciplinary actions for Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López for their roles in Tuesday night's bench-clearing brawl at Angel Stadium.

Both Soler and López have been suspended seven games and were fined an undisclosed amount, MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill announced via press release. The suspensions had been scheduled to begin in the final of the three-game series between the Angels and Braves on Wednesday afternoon, but MLB announced that both players are appealing the decision, which will put any suspension on hold until the process is complete.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Chad Bishop later reported that López and MLB have reached a settlement to reduce his suspension to five games, effective immediately.

Soler was in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game and hit a solo homer in the bottom of the second.

"It's obviously disappointing losing a guy like Jorgie, in the clubhouse, obviously what he's been doing on the field for us," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said after their 8-2 loss on Wednesday. "But at the same time, I'm 100% behind what he did. I felt like that was what he needed to do and I support him 100%. He's appealing it, so we'll see how it goes after that."

The confrontation began brewing after Soler hit a two-run home run off López in the bottom of the first inning on Tuesday, the fifth in 23 career at-bats off of his former teammate. López appeared to have retaliated by plunking Soler with a pitch inside that got him on the wrist/hand area, after which Soler was visibly frustrated.

Then in the fifth, all hell broke loose.

López threw a ball up and in that flew over the head of Soler while teammate Nolan Schanuel took second on the wild pitch. Soler stayed in the batters box the entire time, staring down López.

"I have good numbers against him," Soler told reporters in Spanish after the game. "I hit a home run, my second time up he hits me in the hand, and then threw me another one up and in. This is the big leagues, you can't be throwing that."

Soler told reporters he asked López if he was okay, to which he responded with a bad word. Soler then took a few steps toward the mound and began to charge as López raised his arms. The two 2021 World Series champions exchanged haymakers on the diamond like it was a heavyweight boxing match as benches cleared until Braves manager Walt Weiss tackled Soler to the ground.

Both Soler and López were ejected from the game, which would go on to be a 7-2 win for Atlanta.

While Soler believes that López was intentionally trying to hit him, López maintains that it was an accident.

“We spent time together as teammates and so I just think it was a misunderstanding because I would never do anything,” López told reporters in Spanish. “I wasn’t trying to hit him and there was never any intent on my part to hit him at all at any point.”

It was initially speculated around the league that López would get a heavier punishment because he held the ball during the fight and struck Soler in the helmet with it at one point, but that was apparently not the case.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB suspends Jorge Soler, Reynaldo López for bench-clearing brawl

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Celtics could be without 4 starters in game against Knicks

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 8: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on February 8, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

NEW YORK CITY — The Celtics could be shorthanded when they face the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendinitis), Sam Hauser (low back spasm), Neemias Queta (right toe sprain), and Derrick White (right knee contusion) are all questionable to play. The Celtics are on the first night of a back-to-back, with a game against the New Orleans Pelicans back at TD Garden on Friday.

Jayson Tatum will lace up at Madison Square Garden for the first time since he ruptured his Achilles there last May.

“I’m not like, thrilled, to go back and play there,” Tatum said on Tuesday night. “Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me.”

Still, he opted to play on Thursday in New York to get that first game back out of the way.

“Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again. So, it’s going to have to be this Thursday. But it’s not like I’m thrilled about it. But it’s part of it. I decided to come back and play, so I’m not necessarily skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it’s just another game on the schedule.”

If the Celtics actually end up sitting four starters, it’s likely that players like Nikola Vucevic, Luka Garza, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and Ron Harper Jr will all see increased opportunities.

How the Celtics, Knicks stack up

The Celtics are 1-2 against the Knicks this season, but have the upper hand in the conference standings. The Celtics (54-25) have a three-game lead over the Knicks (51-28) for the No. 2 seed.

The Knicks won by double-digits in New York and February, while the Celtics pulled away with a 6-point win in December. But all of those games were played without Tatum, who returned last month from a 10-month-long absence.

The Celtics and the Knicks have had two of the league’s best offenses this season — the Celtics have the NBA’s second-best offensive rating (119.9) and the Knicks have the league’s third-best offense (118.8).

Both have also been top ten defenses; the Celtics have the NBA’s fourth-best defense (111.7 rating), and the Knicks have the NBA’s 8th-best defense (112.3).

Celtics-Knicks tips off at 7:30pm ET.

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UCLA women’s basketball star Lauren Betts freaks out over LeBron James encounter

Even national champions get star struck.

UCLA women’s basketball team center Lauren Betts was seen in a social media video on Tuesday night nearly losing her mind following an encounter with LeBron James.

The newly crowned champ was at Crypto.com Arena to be honored by the Los Angeles Lakers for her and her team’s triumphant NCAA tournament victory over South Carolina, and at one point, she and James had an interaction that left her speechless.

LeBron James nearly made Lauren Betts crying following the duo’s encounter on Wednesday night. AP

“Guys, guys, guys, guys,” said Betts, who appeared to be fighting back tears. “LeBron made eye contact with me. F–king LeBron James!”

James did not play in the Lakers’ matchup with the Thunder due to left foot injury management, but Betts clearly didn’t mind not being able to watch him on the court.

It’s the latest cool chapter for Betts in what’s been a whirlwind week.

Lauren Betts and the UCLA women’s basketball team won the NCAA championship on Sunday.

Following the Bruins’ title win in Phoenix, the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player and her teammates received a hero’s welcome at their campus in Westwood and also appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

They’re slated to hit the Clippers’ game against the Thunder at Intuit Dome later Wednesday as well.

Seems the spoils truly do go to the victor.

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Guardians Win Behind Offensive Outburst

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 08: Joey Cantillo #54 of the Cleveland Guardians throws a pitch during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Cantillo was great today. He unfortunately didn’t finish the 6th, but went 5.2 solid innings walking only 2 Royals hitters. He struck out 9, and did a fantastic job of limiting hard contact. He had some trouble locating his fastball, but all of his other pitches were consistently in the zone. Entering today’s game, Guardians starters averaged a tick over 5 innings a start (5th in MLB), and posted a 2.77 ERA (2nd in MLB). The rotation has been fantastic so far. They’re striking out over 10.5 hitters per 9 innings, although they are walking roughly 4.5 hitters/9. Both their walk rate and HR rate are bottom 10 in MLB, but they’ve managed to limit damage otherwise. It helps that, so far, they’ve induced the 11th most groundballs in MLB. The pitching staff, today, notched their 10th game with 10+ strikeouts, the most in MLB (2nd most has 7). To the offense!

The Guardians had 16 hits today which, per MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins, tied their season-high from 2025. They only had 15+ hits 3 times last season. Definitely an encouraging sign that they’re having outbursts like today’s so early in the season.

Cole Ragans did not get out of the first inning today. He was first hit in the hand by a Jose comebacker, but stayed in the game.

He then walked Fry and gave up an RBI double off the wall to DeLauter. He was taken out of the game after the double.

The Royals brought in a long reliever, and hoskins immediately hit his first (of 3) doubles today to drive in another run.

In the 2nd, the Guardians had runners on first and second with two outs, and Jose hit — well — a Jose double.

In the 5th, in the same situation, Juan Brito earned his first career RBI with this double down the line.

Brito has been fantastic so far. 2 MLB games, 2 multi-hit games, 2 XBH. So far, he’s chasing a little more than you’d like, but it’s early. But, he’s barely whiffing, and putting up really good exit velocity numbers for someone this new to MLB. He’s averaging 98+ mph on his batted balls and has been really aggressive in the zone (97th percentile zone-swing%).

Cantillo’s only earned run of the day came on a Bobby Witt double to left. The other run came on a fielding error by Kwan (although it could’ve just as easily been charged to Martinez).

It was pretty quiet until the 8th, when Brito and Hedges singled back-to-back (Hedges, by the way, has a 174 wRC+ on a .933 OPS). Rocchio worked a 3-1 count and, after an iffy 3-1 strike call, singled to right. Kwan walked to load the bases, and then Martinez smoked an oopsie slider into the seats in right-center. The Royals brought in a position player to pitch, which is always a welcome sight. For reference, the last position player to pitch against the Guardians was Luke Maile on September 8 of 2025… also for the Royals. That game also ended 10-2.

In other news, the Guardians announced today that Gabriel Arias will miss 4-8 weeks with a hamstring strain.

The Guardians have won 3 straight series against playoff contenders. They head south this weekend for a 3-game set with the Braves. It’ll be Cecconi vs. Elder on Friday night.

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Jorge Soler, Reynaldo Lopez suspended seven games for massive Angels-Braves brawl

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Angels' Jorge Soler (12) and Atlanta Braves' Reynaldo López (40) fight during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. , Image 2 shows Baseball players from two teams engaging in a brawl on the pitcher's mound

MLB has doled out punishments for the massive brawl between the Angels and Braves on Tuesday night. 

The Angels’ Jorge Soler and Braves’ Reynaldo López, both at the center of the on-field dust up at Angel Stadium, were suspended seven games for the incident. 

Both players are appealing their suspensions, per The Post’s Jon Heyman.

Los Angeles Angels’ Jorge Soler (12) and Atlanta Braves’ Reynaldo López (40) fight during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. AP

A chaotic benches-clearing fight broke out between the teams during Atlanta’s 7-2 win that even saw Soler, the Angels’ designated hitter, and López, the Braves’ starting pitcher, throw punches at each other.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Soler took a pitch from López up-and-in that went to the backstop, allowing the Angels’ Nolan Schanuel to go from first to second base.

Soler appeared to take exception and López threw his arms out as the two exchanged words before the former came charging out to the mound, setting off the brouhaha. 

“I asked him if everything was OK and the answer he gave me, I didn’t like it,” Soler said through a translator, according to MLB.com. “That’s why I went out there.”

Braves starter Reynaldo Lopez (40) winds up to hit the Angels’ Jorge Soler during a brawl on April 7, 2026. @JomboyMedia/X

López, who sounded regretful after the game, appeared to punch Soler in the helmet and face with the baseball in his hands. 

“It’s just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded,” López said, per MLB.com. “On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. So, again, it’s just a shame.”

Soler had hit a home run off López in the first inning of the game, the fifth of his career against the right-hander. 

The pair were teammates with the Braves during the second-half of the 2024 season after Soler was acquired from the Giants in a trade.

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Chicago Cubs vs. Tampa Bay Rays preview, Wednesday 4/8, 5:40 CT

Wednesday notes…

  • NOT STREAKING, YET: The Cubs and Red Sox are the only two teams that have not won at least two games in a row. The Orioles did it for the first by winning yesterday. The 28 other teams have won two or more a total of 42 times: four streaks each of five and four games, five of three games and 19 of two. Last season, the Cubs had 25 winning streaks: one of five games, four of four and 10 each of three and two. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • THE BATS FINALLY GOT GOING: The Cubs’ 16 hits last night raised their team batting average for the season by 22 points, to .221, which ranks 22nd among all teams, between the Red Sox (.223) and Diamondbacks (.213). The Dodgers lead, at .292, and six more teams are above .250, including the Rays, whose .260 is fifth best. The Angels are at .200; the Guardians, .197; and the Mariners, .191. The Reds are last among National League teams, at .204, 27th overall. The 29 other teams combined are .234. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
  • HITTING ’EM HARD: The Cubs remain third in MLB in hard-hit rate behind the Rangers and Dodgers.
  • TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Derrek Lee led off the eighth inning with a home run. That broke a 2-2 tie and the Cubs held on for a 3-2 win over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. It happened 20 years ago today, Saturday, April 8, 2006.

Cubs lineup:

Rays lineup:

Colin Rea, RHP vs. Joe Boyle, RHP

For the second year in a row, Colin Rea is being asked to step into the rotation to replace an injured starter. Last year in place of Justin Steele, Rea was really good. Over his first seven starts after taking Steele’s rotation spot, Rea posted a 2.72 ERA and 1.239 WHIP and allowed just four home runs in 36.1 innings.

Hopefully Matthew Boyd won’t be out long and Rea can go back to the long relief role he does so well. (Or Rea can stay in the rotation replacing Cade Horton.)

He made a competent start Sept. 13, 2025 vs. the Rays at Wrigley Field, allowing three runs in 5.1 innings, striking out five with no walks.

Joe Boyle came to the Rays in a trade with the A’s before the 2025 season and he spent much of the year in Triple-A before being recalled in July. He had a few decent starts and some not-so-decent and it was an unremarkable season.

This year Boyle has a 3.18 ERA and 0.882 WHIP in two starts covering 11.1 innings, with 13 strikeouts. He’s never faced the Cubs and only four Cubs have ever seen him, none for more than four at-bats, so let’s hope the Cubs have a good scouting report.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Rays site DRays Bay. If you do go there to interact with Rays fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Brewers fall to Sonny Gray, Red Sox 5-0 in tough end to road trip

Milwaukee Brewers
Apr 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shane Drohan (55) pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Box Score

It ends up being just a .500 road trip for the Brewers across Kansas City and Boston as Milwaukee dropped the rubber match Wednesday afternoon against the Red Sox, 5-0.

Sonny Gray had the goods from the beginning. The Brewers were able to get some traffic on the bases against him, but could never capitalize with the big hit. Sal Frelick led off the game with a ground-rule double to right, but was left stranded quickly. Gray ended up covering 6 1/3 IP, scattering just three hits, walking two, and striking out two.

Shane Drohan made his MLB debut today and will end up being a start to forget for the 27-year-old lefty. Drohan made it through just 2 2/3 IP, allowing three hits, three runs, four walks, and a pair of strikeouts. Of the 63 pitches he threw, just 28 of them were strikes.

Grant Anderson was able to make it through 1 1/3 IP scoreless, Aaron Ashby had a scoreless inning, then Jake Woodford covered the final three innings for the Brewers bullpen and gave up a pair of runs late that allowed the Red Sox to get to that comfortable 5-0 lead.

The Brewers had just four hits on the day. With no Brice Turang and no William Contreras in the lineup, it was going to be an uphill battle for the Brewers lineup against Gray to begin with.

The Brewers now fall to 8-4 on the season after a 3-3 road trip. They’ll have a day off tomorrow before starting their next homestand against the Washington Nationals for the weekend, before the reigning AL Champion Toronto Blue Jays come to town to begin next week.

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Soler and López suspended 7 games after brawl in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 7: Benches clear as pitcher Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves and right fielder Jorge Soler #12 of the Los Angeles Angels fight on the field during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The verdict is out for Los Angeles Angels’ Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves’ Reynald López. Per Jeff Passan, both players will be receiving a seven-game suspension following last night’s viral altercation.

It was the bottom of the fifth inning, where everything took place. López threw a pitch high and tight off the backstop, which Soler didn’t appreciate after previously being hit by a pitch in his second at-bat. Once he charged the mound after what looked to be words exchanged between him and López, hands were thrown, and though punches from both sides didn’t connect, there was footage of López using the ball he kept in his hand as his weapon of choice. It ended with a tackle from Braves manager Walt Weiss to Soler…well, until the bullpen ran out to get the last of the action…

This punishment would also include an undisclosed fine following their actions, starting today.

Keep in mind, however, that this is the initial status before the appeals are reviewed.

Hey, on the bright side…at least Weiss got away scot-free.

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Who's in 2026 NHL playoffs? Latest bracket, standings, scenarios

The Buffalo Sabres, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011, also have a chance to win the Atlantic Division title.

They can take a step toward that on Wednesday, April 8. If the Sabres (102 points) pick up at least a point against the New York Rangers, they will break their three-way tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.

But if they lose in regulation, they will drop to third place in the division based on points percentage.

The same thing applies in the Pacific Division. The Edmonton Oilers are tied with the Vegas Golden Knights at 88 points and hold the tiebreaker edge. They can lead outright by gaining at least a point against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday. If they lose in regulation, they will fall to second in the division.

The Sharks need the win because they trail the Nashville Predators by three points in the race for the second wild-card spot in the West. Wednesday will be one of their two games in hand.

Here's what to know about the NHL standings, including the latest playoff bracket and the tiebreaker procedures for the 2025-26 season:

NHL playoff tiebreakers: How they will affect the postseason races

Who's in the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Eastern Conference: Carolina, Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Montreal

Western Conference: Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota

Who can clinch an NHL playoff berth today?

No team can clinch a playoff berth today.

Today's NHL games (Wednesday, April 8)

  • Buffalo at N.Y. Rangers, 7, TNT
  • Washington at Toronto, 7
  • Edmonton at San Jose, 10, TNT

NHL playoff standings

NHL Eastern Conference standings 2025-26

After April 7 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Metropolitan Division

  • y-Carolina Hurricanes (106)
  • Pittsburgh Penguins (96)
  • Philadelphia Flyers (92)

Atlantic Division

  • x-Tampa Bay Lightning (102)
  • x-Buffalo Sabres (102)
  • x-Montreal Canadiens (102)

Wild card

  • Boston Bruins (96)
  • Ottawa Senators (92)

Sitting out of playoff position: Columbus Blue Jackets (90), Detroit Red Wings (89), New York Islanders (89), Washington Capitals (87), z-New Jersey Devils (83), z-Toronto Maple Leafs (78), z-Florida Panthers (77), z-New York Rangers (75)

NHL Western Conference standings 2025-26

After April 7 games. x-clinched playoff spot. y-clinched division. z-eliminated.

Central Division

  • y-Colorado Avalanche (112)
  • x-Dallas Stars (104)
  • x-Minnesota Wild (102)

Pacific Division

  • Edmonton Oilers (88)
  • Vegas Golden Knights (88)
  • Anaheim Ducks (87)

Wild card

  • Utah Mammoth (88)
  • Nashville Predators (84)

Sitting out of playoff position: Los Angeles Kings (83), San Jose Sharks (81), Winnipeg Jets (80), St. Louis Blues (78), Seattle Kraken (75), z-Calgary Flames (73), z-Chicago Blackhawks (70), z-Vancouver Canucks (52)

NHL playoffs if they started today

NHL Eastern Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Eastern Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 7:

  • Carolina (M1) vs. Ottawa (WC2)
  • Pittsburgh (M2) vs. Philadelphia (M3)
  • Tampa Bay (A1) vs. Boston (WC1)
  • Buffalo (A2) vs. Montreal (A3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: M - Metropolitan Division. A - Atlantic Division. WC - wild card

NHL Western Conference playoff bracket

Here is how the Western Conference playoff bracket would look if the season ended on April 7.

  • Colorado (C1) vs. Nashville (WC2)
  • Dallas (C2) vs. Minnesota (C3)
  • Edmonton (P1) vs. Utah (WC1)
  • Vegas (P2) vs. Anaheim (P3)

The winner of the first series would play the winner of the second in the second round. The winner of the third series would play the winner of the fourth. Key: C - Central Division P - Pacific Division. WC - wild card

NHL tiebreakers: What is the first tiebreaker in NHL standings?

If two teams are tied in points at the end of the regular season, here are the tiebreakers:

  1. Regulation wins
  2. Regulation and overtime wins (ROW)
  3. Total wins
  4. Most points earned in head-to-head competition: If teams had an uneven number of meetings, the first game played in the city that has the extra game is excluded. When more than two clubs are tied, the percentage of available points earned in games among each other (and not including any odd games) shall be used to determine standings.
  5. Goal differential
  6. Total goals

When does the NHL regular season end?

The NHL regular season is scheduled to end on Thursday, April 16, with six games.

When do the NHL playoffs start?

The NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 18.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NHL playoff bracket, latest 2026 standings, tiebreakers and scenarios

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Bruins sign James Hagens to entry-level contract

ROCHESTER, NY - APRIL 04: Providence Bruins forward James Hagens (12) skates during warm ups prior to the AHLD game between the Providence Bruins and Rochester Americans on April 4, 2026, at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, NY. (Photo by Jerome Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After a short stint in Providence where he got to show what he could do against professionals, the Bruins announced on Wednesday afternoon that they’ve signed James Hagens to his entry-level contract (ELC).

The three-year ELC begins with the current (2025-2026) season and carries a cap hit of $975,000 at the NHL level.

With his amateur tryout now over and his ELC signed, Hagens is free to join the B’s at the NHL level, should they determine there’s a spot for him on the NHL roster.

That part is likely a formality, as the Bruins probably wouldn’t bother having him sign a contract if they didn’t intend to get him some game time at the NHL level.

It’s worth remembering that the 23-man roster limit is lifted after the trade deadline, so the Bruins don’t technically have to send anyone down to make space for Hagens.

However, they do still need to be cap compliant, so it’s possible that there’s a corresponding move coming. That will likely come down to the extremely detailed, daily salary cap number crunching that I won’t pretend to understand.

Hagens ended up playing six games with the Providence Bruins, recording a goal and three assists for four points.

The stretch beginning today always seemed like the most likely time for the B’s to pull the trigger on this move, as Hagens would (in theory) have two full days of practice with the NHL team prior to Saturday’s game against the Lightning.

In addition, while a playoff spot isn’t officially locked up, the B’s do have a little margin for error in the standings that might make them more willing to throw a rookie into the mix.

With the offense stagnating in recent games (though things went OK in Carolina last night), it makes sense to see if Hagens can provide a bit of a spark, whether it’s with playmaking abilities, skating, or whatever else.

The Bruins will practice at Warrior Arena at 11 AM on Thursday morning; presumably, Hagens will be there.

Marco Sturm will address the media after practice, so we’ll likely get some more details on the team’s immediate plans for Hagens at that time.

HAGENSMANIA BEGINS!